TOTW 3 brings numerous meta options all over the pitch with the stand-out players being Martinez, Palmer and the simply ridiculous Van De Ven, who looks to be among the best central defenders of the year should he get in.
TOTW 3 Predicted Starting XI
GK: Marcin Bulka (Nice) - 79 OVR -> 82 OVR:
On paper, this looks like a boring 0-0 draw, but that was far from the case. Both keepers made numerous saves to keep the scores level. Bulka made six saves and was named MOTM, earning an 8/10 from L'Équipe for his performance.
LB: Sakina Karchaoui (PSG) - 87 OVR -> 88 OVR
Barcola was a clear option from PSG, but with a leaked RTTK card on Friday, it rules him out. I still expect a PSG card, and although it’s from the women’s team, Karchaoui’s goal and clean sheet provide EA a solid reason to include her.
CB: Micky Van de Ven (Tottenham) - 82 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Van de Ven continues to impress in the Premier League, and his 75-yard run before squaring the ball to Johnson opened the scoring for Tottenham, who went on to comfortably beat United 3-0 at Old Trafford.
RB: Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid) - 81 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Militao narrowly misses out due to a controversial 95th-minute equalizer from Atletico, but this opens the door for their midweek fixture, in which Vazquez provided two attacking returns.
LM: Xavi Simons (Leipzig) - 83 OVR -> 85 OVR:
The RTTK promotion has denied numerous players this week, with Sesko being another. Leipzig recorded a comfortable 4-0 win, so I still expect them to receive an IF. Simons was superb throughout, providing both a goal and an assist.
CAM: Lindsey Horan (Lyon) - 86 OVR -> 87 OVR:
With numerous options from France this week, someone is likely to miss out, but it’s a tough call to make. Horan continues to excel, and with two goals and an assist this weekend, she is long overdue for an IF.
CAM:Cole Palmer (Chelsea) - 85 OVR -> 86 OVR:
Palmer suggested that he is now at full fitness after missing out on a proper pre-season. If his latest performance is anything to go by, every side in the division should be terrified. His four goals helped Chelsea secure a 4-2 home win over Brighton.
RM: Julie Dufour (Paris) - 81 OVR -> 84 OVR:
With Mateo featuring in TOTW 2, she is ineligible this week despite scoring four times. Dufour was also influential, contributing two goals and two assists during the 8-0 victory.
ST: Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
Guirassy received a significant upgrade on his previous NIF in EAFC 25. His excellent form has continued into the new season, and his two goals this weekend helped secure another win for Dortmund, moving them up to fifth in the table.
ST: Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) - 89 OVR -> 90 OVR:
Serie A offered very little this week, with only a few striker options available. Martinez was one of them, scoring twice to help Inter secure a 3-2 away win over Udinese.
ST: Ewa Pajor (Barcelona) - 87 OVR -> 88 OVR:
Numerous options emerged after Barcelona scored ten goals against Granada, but Pajor’s hat-trick should be the one EA opts for. It’s highly unlikely we’ll see more than one inclusion from this match.
TOTW 3 Predicted Subs & Reserves
CB: Clinton Mata (Lyon) - 76 OVR -> 84 OVR:
If EA chooses to give Mata the featured upgrade, he has the potential to become an incredible card. He earns a spot in the prediction after receiving a high match rating from L'Équipe for his performance in Lyon's 2-1 win over Toulouse.
CM: Jens Stage (Werder Bremen) - 76 OVR -> 81 OVR:
Jens Stage inspired one of the best comebacks of the season, with his hat trick helping Werder Bremen overturn a 3-0 deficit. Kicker awarded the German a perfect 1 match rating for his performance.
CAM: Omar Marmoush (Frankfurt) - 79 OVR -> 82 OVR:
Marmoush continued his strong start to the season with Frankfurt, contributing two goals and an assist in their 4-2 away win over Kiel. With six goals and three assists so far this season, I expect Marmoush to attract some interest come January.
CAM: Dwight McNeil (Everton) - 77 OVR -> 81 OVR:
Everton finally recorded their first win of the season, defeating the also winless Crystal Palace 2-1. McNeil was the star of the show, scoring both goals, including a wonderful curling effort. This result lifts Everton out of the relegation zone.
ST: Ante Budimir (Osasuna) - 78 OVR -> 82 OVR:
With Barcelona winning their opening seven games, most would have expected them to secure eight from eight against Osasuna. However, the hosts had other ideas, achieving a 4-2 victory. Budimir scored two of those four goals, and I expect him to be favoured over other players who scored braces due to the significance of the result.
ST: Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
With so many top strikers performing this week, it creates a star-studded bench. Vlahovic netted a double away at Genoa, and Gazzetta awarded his performance a rating of 7.5, which was the joint highest of the week.
ST: Jonathan David (Lille) - 81 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Despite numerous links away from the club, David is still playing for Lille, much to their delight. His latest performance saw him score three goals, helping Lille to a 3-0 away win over Le Havre.
LM: Borja Sainz (Norwich) - 71 OVR -> 80 OVR:
It has been a poor start to the season for Norwich, but a 3-2 away win over Derby could be what gets them back on track. Sainz scored a hat trick, which will likely earn him a spot in TOTW as a result.
LM: Marvin Wanitzek (Karlsruher) - 73 OVR -> 80 OVR:
Despite failing to get the win Wanitzek walks into this side after contributing to all four Karlsruher goals during their dramatic 4-4 draw.
LM: Patrik Walemark (Lech Poznan) - 71 OVR -> 80 OVR:
The hat tricks continue and a third from LM. Walemark's treble helped secure Poznan's 3-2 away win over Koruna.
ST: Cheikh Sabaly (Metz) - 70 OVR -> 80 OVR:
Onto the strikers now, also with hat tricks. Metz recorded a convincing 6-0 win with Sabaly scoring three of those six.
ST: Fabio Abreu (Beijing) - 73 OVR -> 80 OVR:
It's been a while since we have seen an IF from China but with Abreu scoring three and assisting another during an 8-1 we will see if EA are still willing to award them come Wednesday.
